The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) may be heading towards a split, with nearly 36 of its legislators expressing interest in supporting the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), said party members aware of the matter, requesting anonymity.
On Saturday, TVK managed to muster enough numbers to claim a majority, but with 120 names claimed in its favour, the party is perilously close to the 118 majority mark it needs to survive the floor test.
Prospects of secession from the AIADMK – the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) party that has 47 seats alone – increased on Saturday when a section of AIADMK legislators who had been staying at a private resort in Puducherry since May 5 returned to Chennai and, after attending an over three-hour-long meeting with party president Edappadi K Palaniswami, moved to CV Shanmugham’s residence for separate discussions lasting several hours. hours.
Former ministers OS Manian, SP Velumani, C Vijayabhaskar and RB Udhayakumar were among the prominent leaders who were seen entering Shanmugham’s residence. No one spoke to the media.
When reporters asked Udhayakumar directly if the AIADMK was splitting, he was vague. He said, “Why are you in a hurry? Please be patient. You will receive good news.”
Palaniswami instructed the lawmakers at the resort, numbering about 40, to return to Chennai from Puducherry, a party lawmaker said. He had visited the resort for a closed-door meeting on May 7, and did not speak to the media after that. He was not keen on a TVK alliance, AIADMK party members familiar with the matter said.
“Our leader has asked us to come to Chennai today. We are going to our leader’s (Palaniswami’s) residence in Chennai. Please wait. You will,” Lima Rose, a newly elected legislator from Lalgudi Assembly constituency, told reporters before leaving Puducherry. [hear] “Good news from our leader.”
AIADMK’s Puducherry unit secretary A Anbalagan and former minister KP Munusamy were also seen attending the Shanmugham meeting; Neither of them spoke to the media.
In the assembly elections held on April 23, the AIADMK-led NDA alliance won 53 seats, of which the AIADMK bagged 47 seats. Palaniswami won his Edappadi constituency in Salem district by a margin of more than 95,000 votes. Despite the outstanding performance, the party has suffered a series of defeats since 2021 and performed poorly in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Later on Saturday, Palaniswami posted on social media without naming TVK: “Candidates contested on behalf of various parties and won in the recently concluded 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. I extend my heartfelt best wishes to the party that will form the government in Tamil Nadu.”
